Chapter 42
JEREMIAH
“There could be more,” Seb pointed out. “They might be better.”
“At least we know we’re in the right place,” Mateo said.
I cut the engine and exited the now bumperless car. “We go on foot from here. Stay off the road and stick to the trees. Seb, get a call in to the sheriff and let him know what’s happening.”
Someone screamed my name. “Jeremiah!”
Lennon. I held still, not even daring to breathe, every cell in my body listening.
“Jeremiah!”
There. It came from over there. I took off in that direction. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Did she know about the traps? Any bomb that could take off a car bumper could do serious damage to a human body. “Lennon!” I roared. “Don’t move! I’m coming to you!”
Trees blurred as I ran flat out. Branches scraped at my arms and face, but I didn’t care. I could hear the sounds of someone crashing through the trees ahead of me.
“Jeremiah!” Her voice was frantic, desperate.
I ran harder. “Lennon!”
And then there she was. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of me. I barreled straight at her. She leaped the rest of the distance and I caught her in my arms, lifting her off the ground.
“Gun!” she gasped. “Bombs! Traps!” Her hands went all over me, like she was searching for injuries.
“I’ve got you, honey. I’ve got you.” I was never letting go of her again. “You’re safe now.” I rained kisses on her cheeks, her nose, her lips, every inch of skin I could find.
“She’s not safe with you.”
Goddammit.
I gently lowered Lennon to the ground. She made a whimpering sound as I pushed her behind me. “I’m not the one who kidnapped her or chased her through the woods with a gun, Cecily. That would be you.”
“She’s not safe with you,” Cecily repeated. “You’ll hurt her. That’s all men know how to do.”
“I know why you’re scared. I know what he did to you.
But that’s not going to happen again. Not to you, and not to Lennon.
I promise you that.” I had to keep her talking.
Holly was on her six, Seb was at three o’clock, Mateo at nine.
I had the feeling Liam was behind me, but I wasn’t about to take my eyes off Cecily to verify that.
“Put the gun down, Cecily. You’re surrounded. It’s over.”
Her lips trembled but then she squared her shoulders. “It’s over for me, but it’s not over for Lennon. I can still save her.” She wiggled the gun at me. “Step over there. Away from her.”
Lennon fisted her hands in my shirt. “No.”
I squeezed her thigh behind me. “It’s okay, honey. Let go. I’ll do what she says.” Holly almost had her.
“No.” Lennon moved in front of me. I grabbed her around the waist and tried to haul her back, but she latched on like a monkey. “No. You cannot kill him, Cecily. It would break my heart. The same way someone broke yours. Is that what you want? Do you want to break me?”
The gun lowered slightly. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. “I—”
Holly pounced.
There was a sickening crack of bone, one sharp scream, and then it was over in less than thirty seconds. Holly held the gun in one hand and Cecily’s broken wrist in her other. “We’re good!” she called cheerfully. “You okay, Lennon?”
“I’m—” Lennon’s voice died as a tremor wracked her body. Her knees buckled.
I caught her, then hefted her into my arms bride style. “Easy there. You’re okay.”
“I thought…” She buried her face against my chest. “I thought you had gotten blown up.”
“Nah. It wasn’t a very good bomb.”
She choked out a sound that was half laugh, half sob. “I have never been so scared in my life as I was in that moment. Don’t ever do that.”
“What? Get blown up by your psycho kidnapper?” I joked because if I didn’t, I would sit my ass right down in this forest and fall apart. I’d almost lost her.
Later.
Later I could fall apart. Right now it was Lennon’s turn. I needed to be the one to hold her together.
“Don’t ever die on me, Jeremiah. I mean it. Promise me.”
My shirt felt wet. I looked down and saw tears streaming down her face. My girl who had never met an emotion she didn’t want to bury six feet under was crying. “I’m not going anywhere, Lennon. I can promise you that.”
Liam approached. “Sheriff is on his way. Another twenty minutes—” He broke off, frowning. “Lennon, what the fuck happened to your feet?”